Wardrobe trunk



June 12, 1928. 1,673,730 i Q L. M. BARTELS WARDROBE TRUNK F11ed:| 27, 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 wrrtgg;

June 12, 1 928.

L. M. BARTELS WARDROBE TRUNK Filed Oct. 27, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES LILLIAN M. BARTELS,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WARDROBE TRUNK.

Application filed October 27, 1925. Serial No. 65,281.

My invention relates to wardrobe trunks which embody a compartment for drawers, a compartn'ient for clothes hangers, a towel rack, soiled clothes bag, and so forth.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a novel construction of wardrobe trunk having a reinforcing partition of novel construction with a space at one side arranged with drawer guides or supports for receiving a plurality of slidable drawers and a space or compartment at the other side for hanging clothes, the clothes hanger being generally of a floating type and including a floating suspension bar and a follower adapted to be adjusted according to the number of the garments which are suspended or hung from the floating suspension bar, which bar is arranged to prevent the same being forced through the walls of the trunk due to excessive pressure or weight thereon when being transported or otherwise, and including a novel construction of follower supported at the top and bottom so as to be pressed against the clothes for retaining them in position during transportation or otherwise; to provide a novel door arrangement which serves to strengthen the trunk and prevent access thereto when the trunk is closed and locked, which prevents prying open of the closures or doors and the entrance of moisture or rain into the trunk and which includes a foldable top section or door which when open, permits convenient access to the clothes hangers for removing the same from their supporting bar, while serving to retain said hangers in position and against displacement when the trunk is closed and locked.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent as the description proeecds, but it is to be understood that the invention also embodies a novel construction for facilitating manufacture and to generally enhance the value of and appearance of devices of this class.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ward robe trunk embodying my invention, the same being shown open to disclose the interior construction.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view partly broken away, to disclose the hanger for the clothes.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a side elevation of one corner of the trunk showing the same in sit-ion and the reinforcing means therefor.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the trunk is generally designated at 5 and includes side walls 6, a back wall 7, a top cover 8 and a bottom floor 9, of fiber, wood or other material commonly employed; Along the sides and top and bottom edgesat the back of the'trunk, said walls, dover, and floor are reinforced by the frame, which includes angle strips 9, suitably secured as indicated at 10, with corner reinforcements 11 preferably ofmetal. The top 8 includes a front hinged section -12, which is flange-d at the front and sides as indicated at 13 in order to waterproof the trunk at these places when same is closed; and which is hinged as at 14 along the rear edge thereof to the integrally formed stationary top section along the front edge thereof. The re inforcing strip 9 of angle metal along one top side edge is cutaway at the inside throughout the width of the hinged section 12; so,

thatthe flange 13 may overlap the ren'iainingv portion thereof at one side, while leaving the inner wall free and unobstructed, that is, the top flange of the angle strip 9 extending horizontally is cut away at the front inner.

portion on one side of the trunk throughout the width of the hinged sect-ion 12, I

Hinged to the vertical edges at the frontof the trunk are doors 15 and ltihav-ing the usual hinged looks or other suitable locking means 17 on one to engage a keeper 18 on the other, while the hinged door or top section. 12 has hinged or other suitable locks 19 engaging keepers 20 at the top edges of the doors 15 and 16. The horizontal flange of the strip 9 at one side is retained and the trunk is divided transversely by a vertical partition or wall 21 which is retained. inan inwardly channeled frame 22 of metal forming a reinforcing and st iflfening rim or edge for the partition suitablysecuredin position by screws or the like 23. This frame and the partition are secured within the wallsproper of the trunk by appropriate means, including closed poin position fasteners 24 which are extended, througlra horizontal flange 25 projecting vertically up from the bottom of the trunk at the front edge in the form of a broad strip the outer face of which is flush with the adjacent edges of the trunk, such strip serving to prevent displacement of articles from within the trunk and also to reinforce and strengthen the same. A top cover 26 for the drawer compartment hereinafter described is provided within the trunk below the hinged section 12 and below the integrally-formed stationary section of the top cover 8 and is .retained in position between one side (3 and the partition 21, and suitable guides are provided at the inner faces of said side and partition to receive a plurality of drawers of the slidable type and preferably otdifferent depths as designated at 27, said drawers having knobs or other means for manipulating the same. Below the bottom drawer 27. owing to the guide thereof being positioned at the top edge of the flange 25. a compartment is provided for storing articles to which frequent access is not required.

In addition, a clamping and reinforcing strip 28 is hinged at 29 to the bottom edge of the trunk at the lower edge of the flange or strip and has hinged locks 30 co-acting with keepers 31 on the front closures or doors 15 and 16 to additionally reinforce the trunk and particularly the doors 15 an-d16 at their bottom edges and to prevent these latter from being pried open when locked. The hinged clamping and reinforcing strip 28, when interlocked as described, further serves as a brace or stiffening member and is provided on its inner face and near its free edge with a pliable gasket or packing strip 82, such as rubber, for the purpose of weather-proofing the trunk and preventing the entrance of rain or moisture therein. The hinges 29 of the clamping and reinforcing strip 28 are slightly offset from the front bottom edge of the trunk in order to allow in closed position for the combined thicknesses of the doors 15 and 16 taken individually plus the packing strip 32, with the result that the inner face of the clamping and reinforcing strip 28 will be parallel with and the packing strip 32 will engage snugly against the outer faces of the bases of doors 15 and 16 when said elements 15, 16 and 28 are interlocked. The manner of closing the trunk and the application of the hinges 33 for the doors 15 and 16, as well as the mannerof locking the same at the bottom and the use of the weather strip 32, is clearly indicated in Figure t of the drawings.

The open compartment produced between the partition 21 and the other side of the trunk remote from the side which receives thedrawer guides and drawers 2?, is provided with garmentor clothes supporting means adapted to take a plurality of hangers. ThlS supporting means includes upper and lower bars or tubular members 34 and 35 which may be in the form of sections of pipe tubing, the ends thereof being slidably fitted in sockets 36 having plates 37 for anchoring the same to the'partition and. side of thetrunk as indicated at 38. the fastening means preferably extending through said partition and wall. Compressible, resilient means,

such as expansion springs 39 are interposed between the ends of the tubes or bars 3 1 and 35 and the end walls of the sockets 30 and serve to normally centralize the bars in position, prevent their displacement from the sockets and also compensate for any pressure or heavy weight against said bars or the side wall which would tend to force the ends thereof through the side wall and partition of the trunk structure. in this manner. while some bracing effect is produced, still the bars are prevented from being forced through the walls.

The bars 3t and 35 are each provided with a plurality of spaced apertures 40, the apertures of the upper bar being located at the bottom and the apertures of the lower bar being located at the top so that they oppose each other. T-shaped fittings 41 are mounted on each bar so as to slidably engage the same for movement along the bars and the legs extend in opposite directions toward each othe and are provided with rectangular openings 42 to take corrcs mnding bars 423 having pins 4.1 at their ends of reduced size to engage the apertures it). The bars 43 extend in opposite directions toward each other, the upper bar being secured in a sleeve 4-5 having a handle 4-6 projecting outwardly and horizontally from the lower end thereof and at right angles therefrom. The lreve -15 is anchored to the bar 43 as indicated at 47, the bar projects below the sleeve and handle and engages a sleeve 48 which is provided with a handle 4-9 extending outwardly and horizontally therefrom at its upper end adjacent to and parallel with the handle 46, but in spaced relation thereto. Both of the sleeves, 4!) and 48, have rectangular bores to prevent turning of the bars 4-3 therein. The lower bar 4:3 is anchored in the lower end of the sleeve 48 as indicated at 50 and an expansible spring 51 is interposed between the adjacent ends of the upper bars 43 within the sleeve 48 as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, so as to force the pins or reduced ends 44 into the apertures 4.0 for the purpose of securing the follower structure formed by said bars in ad justed position transversely of the clothes hanging compartment. The. follower structure preferably has horizontal cross-bars or strips 52 at suitable elevations with sleeve portions 53 slidably engaged on the bars 43 but held against rotation tlnareonand secured in adjusted vertical positions by means of set screws 54. The upper bar 34 is designed to receive a plurality of coat hangers or clothes hangers 55, having the usual hooks for engagement thereover, thus permitting ordinarv coat hangers'or clothes hangers to be employed. Vhcn the hinged cover section 12 is open. these hangers can be readily applied or removed. but when said cover section is closed and locked, the hangand lower larger pockets 58 which are ers are heldfrom displacement, thus retaining the clothes in position when the Ward robe trunk is closed or during transit. By reason of the long sleeve portions of the T- shaped fittings 41, the follower is firmly guided and retained in position. it-11in the lower UOlllptlltlllCllij, bags or cloth compartments 56 may be provided at the back and the door 16 may be provided with an upper series of pockets 57 and a lower series of secured in position as by fastening means 59. In addition, a towel rack or near the top portion of the door at the inside thereof as clearly shown in Figure l of the drawings. It is also obvious that other accessories may be provided within the trunk. It is also to be understood that various changes may be made in the con- A struction and arrzmgements of the parts, as well as m the materials employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as will be defined by the claims appended hereto.

I-lfaving thus described my invention, what I. claim is:

1. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination of a chest provided with openings, closures for said openings hinged to the edges of the chest adjacent said openings, a strip pivotally mounted on an edge of the trunk adjacent the latitudinal free edges of said hinged closures such mounting being effected by means of hinges offset from said edge sutliciently to allow said strip in closed position to lie parallel with said closures, and look ing means having a part secured to said strip and a co-acting part secured to said closures adapted to releasably interlock and clamp together said strip and said closures.

:2. In a Wardrobe trunk, the combination of a trunk body provided with openings, closures for said openings hinged to the edges of said trunk body adjacent said openings, a partition secured to said trunk body interi'nediately of its side walls, a chiffonier con'l nirtment on one side of said partition, a wardrobe con'ipartment on the other side of said partition, a strip pivotally mounted on. an edge of the trunk adjacent the latitudinal edges of said hinged closures such mounting being effected by means of hinges offset from said edge sufficiently to allow said strip in closed position to lie parallel with said closures, and locking means having a part secured to said strip and a co acting part secured to said closures adapted to releasably interlock and clamp together said strip and said closures.

3, In a wardrobe trunk adapted normally to stand on end, the combination of a trunk body provided With openings throughout the entire front and the front half of the top, a partition secured to said trunk body intermediately of its opposing side Walls, a

bar 60 may be provided chiffonier con'ipartment on one side of'said on the front edge of the integrally-formed stationary top portion of the trunlcbody and adapted portion of the wardrobe C(JlIlPtll'tIllGllt, a reinforcing flange secured within said trunk body alongthe front base edges of said chiffonier and wardrobe compartments, a strip overlapping said flange hinged to the frontbase edge of the trunk body, and locking means having a part secured to said strip and having a co-act-ing part secured to said front pair of closures adapted to releasably interlock and clamp together said strip and sa d front pair of closures.

4;. In it wardrobe trunk adapted normally to stand on end, the combination of a trunkbody provided with openings throughout the entire front and the front half of the top, a pair of closures pivotally mounted onthe longitudinal edges of said trunk body adjacent said front opening, a closure for said top opening pivotally mounted on the front edge of the integrallyformed stationary top portion of the trunk, a compartment-forming partition secured within said trunk body intermediately of its side walls, a transversely arranged garment supporter on one side of the said partition floatably mounted between said partition and one of the side walls, a plurality of drawers on the other side of said partition slidably mounted between said partition and the other side wall, a reinforcing flange secured to said trunk body near the front base edge thereof and exteriorly flush with all adjacent edges thereof, a clamping strip overlapping said flange hinged to the front base edge of said trunk body, a Weatherproof strip secured to the inner face of said clamping strip near its free edge and adapted in closed position to engage said front closures, and locking means having a part secured to said clamping strip and a co-acting part secured to said front pair of closures adapted to releasably interlock said clamping strip and said front pair of closures.

5. In a wardrobe trunk adapted normally to stand on end, the combination of a trunk body provided with openings throughout the entire front and the front half of the top, a pair of closuresfor said front opening pivotally mounted on the longitudinal edges of said trunk body adjacent said front opening, locking means having a part secured to one of said closures and having a co-acting part secured to the other of said when open to expose the front top for said front opening closures adapted to releasably interlock said pair of closures, aclosure for said top opening pivotally mounted on the front edge of the integrally-formed stationary top portion of the trunk body, a Waterproof flange secured to the free edges of said top closure, additional locking means having a part secured to said top closure and having a coacting part secured to said front pair of closures adapted to releasably interlock said top and front pair of closures, a reinforcing flange secured to said trunk body near the front base edge thereof and exterior-1y flush with all adjacentedges thereof, a clamping strip overlapping said flange hinged to the front base edge of said trunk body, a weatherproof strip secured to the inner face of said clamping strip near its free edge and adapted in closed position to engage said front closures, and further additional locking means having a part secured to said clamping strip and having a eo-acting part secured to said front pair of closures adapted to releasably interlock said clamping strip and said front pair of closures.

6. In a wardrobe trunk adapted normally to stand on end, the structure as specified in claim 5 in combination with a partition secured interiorly of said trunk body interbetween said partition and the other side wall.

8. In a wardrobe trunk adapted normally to stand on end, the structure specified in claim 5 in combination with an inwardly channeled frame secured interiorly of said trunk body intermediate of and parallel with its side walls, a partition secured within said inwardly channeled frame, a chiflfonicr compartment on one side of said partition, and a wardrobe compartment on the other side of said partition.

In testimony whereof I atiix my signature.

LILLIAN M. BAR'IELS. 

